The invention relates to an intermediate bearing for a driveline of a motor vehicle, especially a commercial vehicle.
The driveline that extends from a gearbox positioned in front to the axle differential to drive the wheels of a commercial vehicle is normally of a multi-component nature with portions of universal-jointed shafts. This means that an intermediate bearing is required.
DE 37 01 886 A1 describes an intermediate bearing for a driveline. The intermediate bearing includes a housing where a resilient bearing member is accommodated in a form-fitting way. The bearing member encloses a supporting ring. A rolling contact bearing is arranged in the supporting ring to support the associated driveshaft portions. The bearing member has circumferentially distributed apertures which serve to receive filler members. By inserting the filler members, it is possible to adapt the stiffness and damping properties of the intermediate bearing to different applications. The disadvantage of this design is that such adaptation is complicated and expensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,325,230 describes an intermediate bearing with an outer housing, an inner housing and a rubber element arranged therebetween. The outer housing is either in one part in the form of a casting or it is of a U-shaped first plate metal part and a strip-shaped second plate metal part. The two parts are firmly connected to one another by spot welding. The inner housing includes segments and serves to accommodate the outer race of a rolling contact bearing. The individual segments have flange-like radially inwardly extending lips that axially hold the outer race of the rolling contact bearing. The outer bearing race can be fitted by moving the segments radially outwardly. The rubber element or the rubber element portions supporting the respective cup is/are radially pre-tensioned. Thus, the outer bearing race, with its outer diameter, is able to pass the region of the inwardly directed flange-like lips. In the fitted condition, it is possible not to provide any pre-tension at all. However, a pre-tension is preferably provided such that the outer race does not rotate if the shaft received in the inner bearing race rotates. The objective is to avoid any mating rust.